Method of and means for making mouthpiece cigarettes



G. DAVIDSON 2,423,554

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR MAKING MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTES July 8, 1947.

Filed Feb. 19 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 wan G. DAVIDSON 2,423,554 METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR MAKING MOUTHP-IECE CIGARETTES July 8, 1947.

4 Shets-Sheec 2 Filed Feb. 19, 1940 Gpy Dav rid/op y 5 1947- G. DAVIDSON 2,423,554

METHOD OF AND MEANSFOR MAKING MOUTHPIECE GIGARETTES Filed Feb. 19, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 G'Zep'p jot/0090p I FM wwwa G. DAVIDSON Jul 8, 1947.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR MAKING MOUTHPIECE IGARETTES Filed. Feb. 19, 1940 4 SheetsSheet '4 v Patented July 8, 1947 UNITED STATES; PATENT" OFFICE METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR MAKING. MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTES Glenn Davidson, Aurora, 111: I Application February 19, 1940,, Serial No. 819,760. 18 Claims. (01. Bi -61)" This invention relates to a, method of and means, for making mouthpiece cigarettes and has for its general object the. provision of a novel apparatus and method which will automatically form mouthpiece cigarettes in continuous manner. "More particularly, my invention relates to a method and apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes which will be far cheaper than hand manufacture .andwill provide. a means for producing such cigarettes. in volume at less cost than thatof an ordinary cigarette.

I-Feretofore, mouthpiece cigarettes, as far as I awarehaye been made entirely by more expensive methods outside of the rod type. cigarette machinaand as a. consequence such cigarettes havenever been marketed in, large volume be.- cause ofthe increased cost of such methods and articles as compared with the cost of articles made in the conventionalcigarette. machine. Obviously, a' mouthpiece cigarette should be cheaper than a conventional cigarette, because part of theexpensive tobacco has, been replaced the. relativel'ycheap material contained. in the mouthpiece plug. Such cigarettes have numerous, other advantages. such as presenting a firm feel to the mouth of a smoker and' also preventing the raveling out of small particles of tobaccoin the end. This is annoying in that a limp end is encountered by the mouth of the smoker and the particles of tobacco fall in unwanted places such asv a users pocketv or purse.

Most, if not all, of the following comments applyto most, if not all, of the methodsset forth inthis applicationas well as in my U. S. Patent No. 1,963,076 reissued February 21, 1939 as Reissue Patent 21,007. However, they are. directed specifically to the general method set forth in Figs. 1 to 21, inclusive. There is herein set forth a method of using mouthpiece material in the formof ribbons of relatively indefinite length. The fabrication of such ribbons is treated in detail in my copending application filed May 4, 1936, Serial No. 77,889 which issued into Patent 2,202,- 839 on June 4, 1940. The useof ribbons of relatively indefinite length, fabricated of material in substantially an uncompressed state permits winding of the supply of mouthpiece material on spools without damage to such material. This is obviously not easily accomplished with a round rod of mouthpiece material, especially if such r-od be compressed to across sectional area corresponding to that. of the finished cigarette. Hence, in the mouthpiece ribbon we have a material that can be fabricated at a point remote from the cigarette machine, taken to such machine on spools in much the same way that the of the cigarette manner.

Wrapper web is, commonly handled and there cut into. sections. and applied to the cigarette wrapper, web by simple. wellknown devices. Further, the application of, a: section of mouthpiece ribbon corresponding in width approximately to the inside circumference of a finished cigarette wrapper tub'e,.tov the wrapper web, in advance of the deposition of the tobacco rod, positively prevents. strands of tobacco from extending between the. mouthpiecezmaterial'andthe cigarette wrapper where they would present. an undesirable appearance. This. is. particularly true if: no cork or other tipping materialv is used on the outside Again by using sec.- tions of prefabricatediribbon such as, described in, my Patent 2,202g839fand.attachingv them to the wrapper web in advance of the deposition of the rod, as. shown in certain figures, or by using the train. of spaced sections as. shown in other figures, the, necessity for having mechanisms moving through the shower of, tobacco, being deposited from the tobacco hopper, either for the purpos'eof retaining theribbon sections in place or shielding them, fromthe tobacco, becomes entirely unnecessary. Mechanisms moving in this shower are highly undesirable because they necessarily. set up air currents which are detrimental tothe, uniformityiof. the, tobacco body deposited. One appreciates.theseriousness of factors of this natureby reviewing the tremendous, effort that has. gone into the. development of the tobacco feed.,.mechanism of modem cigarette machines directed .ta producing .a uni-form, standardized rod, as. well as. thegelaborate devices which are used for periodically selecting, and weighing all-- tomati'cally a.-cert.ain, number of cigarettes in order to providedata to guide. the operator in adjusting the,..various tobacco feed controls to produceauniform and standard product. Again it is desirable. toibe able to produce athigh speeds, standardized uniform. cigarettes, on one and the same cigarette machine which may have either a firm .-.mout hpiece whicheives the. feeling,-be-

tweenthelips ofacbrktiphed cigarette or a soft mouthpiece-,.whichlI presents a. feelingv .to the. l p substantially. indis in uishable from or nary untipped' cigarettes. The, use issections of mouththe. latitude within which thi's -canlbe accomplished to. a .marked degree. For, example-. its... ribbon. composed entirely of soft fragile material -is-.1lsed',, a very soft mouthpiece may be obtained. This' end is not. so, easily accomplished-with cylindrical mouthpiece plugs,

for at..leastlthe wrapper member. of such plugs mustbe.somewhatkrigid.inforder to have strength enough to retainithe plugflfiller. material; com- 4, 1936, Serial No. 77,889 may be used. The firm I outer layer or backing strip being placed di rectly on the cigarette wrapper web thus'gives a firm cylinder just inside the finished cigarette tube. It is, of course, understood that cigarettes made by this method may be cork tipped in addition if desired. Further, this method gives positive abutment between the tobacco section and the mouthpiece section. This is essential, particularly in case a soft mouthpiece sectionis used and no cork or other tipping material isapplied to the outside of the cigarettewrappen -Other-' wise such a cigarette would be weak at this junetion. Again, this method entirely or substantially avoids cutting the tobacco body in order to form the recesses which are subsequently filled by the mouthpiece sections. This cutting is objectionable to some cigarette manufacturers because it tends to increase .the number of short ends of tobacco which are returned to be reused. This objection is not so serious with a mouthpiececigarette since these short ends are prevented from falling out into the smokers mouth by the mouthpiece but they do increase to a slight extent the loss of tobacco from the opposite end of the cigarette while the cigarettes are being carried about. Again, it is to be noted that there are no steps in this method which will disturb the uniformity of the tobacco sections axially. That is, there is no compacting of the body of the rod section axially to make room for the mouthpiece, no intermittent stoppage of its continuousaxial movement, no acceleration of such movement, and no diversion from the straight line in which the tobacco body or rod is originally deposited. Further, it is to be noted that the mouthpiece is placed inside of thecigarette wrapper proper and thus no cork or other tipping material needbe usedunless desired. This is an improvement over prior methods wherein where the plugs are inside the cigarette wrapper proper, longer plugs replacing correspondingly more tobacco may be used than where the plugs are attached to the end of a prewrapped tobacco section by a band; It is to be further noted that nothing is brought into the line of flow at a sharp angle and reciprocating, stepwise and intermittent, movements are entirely absent. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter. fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forthin detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation withparts in section of the left-hand part of Figure 1.

"from the supply 12c.

't enw'ith the sections of ribbon 230.

Fig. 2a is a side elevation with parts in section being a continuation of Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a coiled wrapper web having mouthpiece sections thereon.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section looking down, on line 4-4 of Fig. 241.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on line 5--5 of Fig. at.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on line 66 of Fig. 2a.

Fig. is atransverse section on line 1-4 of Fig, 2a..

Fig.-8-is a transverse section on line 8-8 of ig- 72- Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the lug belt-shown in Fig. 2a.

, Fig.- 10' is a sectional detail of a paper pull belt which is difierent from that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 2a. j v

Fig. '11 isa plan view taken from below, of belt 61 asit appears outside of the forming tube 61b, shown in Fig. '10,'t his being a diiferent form from that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 2a.

' Fig. 12 is a transverse section taken on line l2- I2 of Fig. 2.. I

Fig. 13 .is a transverse section taken on line i3lof Fig. 2, l V

Fig. 14 is a longitudinalv vertical section of the left hand portion of Fig. 2a.

Fig. 15 is a. view similar to Fig. 14 of a modification. V v 7 Fig. 16 is a transverse sectional view taken on line i5l6 of Fig. 2a.

Fig. 17 is a longitudinal vertical sectiontaken alon the lower run of thelug belt 300. shown in Fig..2a. j V,

Fig. .18 is aside elevation with parts i section of. a modification of Figs..2 and 2a.

Fig. 19 is atransverse vertical section on line 58-49 of Fig. 18.

Fig. 20 is a side elevation with parts in section of a detail of the form shown in Figs. 18 and 19; and

v Fig. 21 is a tranverse section taken on line i i- 2 I of Fig.20.

The apparatus shownin Figs. 1, 2.2a can best be described by the manner in which it works. In operation sections of. ribbon 230 are cut from the roll of ribbon 28a by the cutter I2d and deposited on the conveyor I'ib which is moving at a speed intermediate the speed of the roll of ribbon 28a and the wrapper paper 112, and since 10 is moving at approximately six times the speed of feed rolls fidrand Be a speed of the conveyor l'lb, may be easily arranged to leave convenient spaces betweenthe sections 230 of ribbon for the insertion of lugs28d carried by belt We. The speed of the lugs 28d is the same as the speed of the wrapper wand the position of the lugs 28d is correlated to the position of the windows in the belt-5g so that sections 230 of mouthpiece ribbon deposited on the wrapper 10 will register with these Windows. The belt i'lb ispreferably made of metal with a polished surface so that the sections. ofmouthpiecerib-bon 230 may be accelerated upon it by the lugs 28d to the speed of the wrapperw without damage to them. "The wrapperpaper w is printed with glue of adhesive at spaced distances by the roll lie which is suitably engraved so as to print the adhesive only where desired, the adhesive being withdrawn The spaced areas upon which adhesive is printed are arranged to regis- Thus the sections of mouthpiece ribbon, which 'are'preferably of a length-equal to twice th'elength of the mouthpiece desired in-each finished cigarette and preferably centered at distances equal to twice the length of a desired *finished cigarette, are attache d'to the wrapper paper 111'. The conveyor l2c-i s"arranged so'a's to firmly press'the-sections o'fribbon 23c'onto the adhesivebearing areas on thewrapper paper 10, and theadhesivemay beset 'by heating elements -3 llbjthus preventing tobacco rom-adhering to theglue.

I "The'assernbly preparedas described-above,=con- 'sis'ting of sections-of mouthpiece ribbon adhered atspaced distances -'to the wrapper w, passes un der "the tobacco discharge hopper a; of a conyenti'onal rod-type cigarette machine, and a continuous rod of tobacco t is deposited thereon -'overlyingfboththesections of ribbon 23c and the Wrapper w. "The assembly-now consisting of wrapper w, mouthpiece "ribbon sections "230' and tobaccorod 15, passes under the windowed belt 5g, the windows 3 of which as above mentioned, register with the ribbon sections -23c. This assembly next passes under the suction head 29d. At this "point it isto-be noted that the portions of the tobacco rod t overlying the ribbon sections 23c are substantially free While the portions thereof lying between 'the ribbon sections are gripped bythe serrations -'9 of the solid portions of the belt 59. Theapplication of suction at this point: removes substantially all of the tobacco overlying the ribbon sections, "True, numerous shortends of tobacco strands, which are gripped under-the solid portions "of the belt, will protrude 'over'bothithe leading and the trailing'ends of the ribbon sections, together with only occasional "longer strands (see Fig. '14) With regard to the shortends just mentioned, it is to be noted that if the "ribbon of mouthpiece material used is of a width corresponding approximately to the inside circumference of the cigarette wrapper, then its thickness becomes substantially less than half the diameter of the cigarette. Accordingly when the "sections'of ribbon are foldedor'rolled to circular cross section as'shownin Figs. 7 and 8, the short ends above mentioned, are pushed in a direction axial of the tobacco rod, by the foldingoffthc ribbon into circular cross section in such a way that very few, if any of them are folded into'the end of the finished plug.

The above described condition, however, does "result in afirmabutment of the plug section and the-tobacco section in'the finished-cigarette which -i-sfhighly desirable. *With regard to the longer strands (see Figs. '14 and this condition does not, of course, prevail but since they are only veryoccasional in number and further since they cannot possibly-protrude between-the outer layers of the plug material and the cigarette wrapper where'they wouldpresent a bad appearance "to "the-finished cigarette, but necessarily become Tolded'into the heart of the plug itself, they are not particularlyobjectionable if left in.

. However, if it is desired to remove these long strands this may be accomplished in a variety "of ways, some of which are set forth hereinafter. For exampleythe *rotarycutter l9e-mounted on therotary shaft Brand held in place by nut [9g and washer lZa, shown in detail :in Figs. 4 and flfigmay be caused :to operate in a planeparallel to the belt 51g and immediately above it, in a direction opposite to that of the moving tobacco :rod. vAs shown in detail in Figs. 14 and 15,, the long strands of tobacco above mentioned are be- .ing held by thesuction in a nearly vertical positionzandmay besevered by the :cutter il 9e.=against thesaw teeth 'lc arranged at boththe leading and trailing ends of the windows. As indicated .in Fig.14 the saw teeth 10 may be turned slightly downward if desired.

If desired, the saw teeth may be omitted by using an arrangementsuch as shown in Fig. 15. =In this case the suction head is divided into two sections 1% and L, by-partition 12b, each connected with its own source of suction. All but theoccasional long strands s of tobacco are removed by section L. Section R has its source of suction beyond the cutter we and is preferably restricted in size. In-this way air currents'may be provided which lift the long strands of tobacco and carry their free ends in advance of their gripped ends, thus facilitating their being out particularly at the leading end of'the window in belt 571.. No

-difiiculty in cutting is experienced at the trailing end of the window since here the solid portion 'of thebltfih is cooperating with the cutter.

After the-above described assembly leaves the suction head, and the windowed belt, it enters a conventional closing and sealing device, one form -of which; is shown at Md and in detail in Figs. 5, 6, "'7 and 8.

A conventional compression belt modified somewhat is shown at 30a in Figs. 2a, 9 and 1'7. This belt' differs from those commonly used in that it has spaced recesses 4 to accommodate the sections of ribbon 230. It may desirably be constructed of molded rubber, either with or without fabric and attached either by vulcanization, rivets or otherwise to the endless metal belt 29 which is provided witha row of/apertures d along :eachedge, cooperating with teeth on the drums -l'6band' l- 6c which permit provision for positive registering of the recesses in 30a with the sec- :tions of mouthpiece ribbon 23c. Thecompression belt 30a has a tobacco engaging, curved surface, 8, so as to aid in compacting the tobacco t into a mass of circular cross section. A conventional device 261) is shown for applying adhesive to the wrapper lap, in which 260 is adhesive supply. A

conventional heater 300 for setting the adhesive and "a cutter 219 for cutting the rod into individual cigarettes' are also provided, the cutter being arranged to cut in the center of each mouthpiece sectionand each tobacco section.

While Figs15, 6, 7 and 8 show one form of closing and sealing apparatus, they are shown more particularly to illustrate how the sections of mouthpieceribbon may be folded to circular cross section.

The only diificulty of consequence which presents itself in this method results from the fact that the width of the tape or ribbon sections 230 desirably corresponds to the circumference of the inside of the cigarette wrapper. This means that the lateral guides of the hopper 2c, in Figs. 12 and 13, must ride above the sections of ribbon 23c leaving an open space between the guides and the wrapper :w between the sections of ribbon,

through which small pieces of tobacco may be thrownout. This dfiiculty can be minimized by forming the wrapper w and ribbon section 230 assembly to a trough'shape as shown in Fig. 12,

'while it is under-the tobacco hopper 2e and then flattening before it passes under the windowed belt So, as shown in Fig. 13.

through the folding guide 33a wherein the belt,

351) is folded around the rod ;t'which'is moreior less rectangular in cross section and only slightly compressed before it enters 33a, to form a more compressed rod which is round in cross section. This round rod is then brought under the belt 51:: across the bridge 341) which may, if desired, be provided with lateral guides or better be in the form of a trough as shown in Fig. 19, and on to the assembly of wrapper and ribbon sections 23e as shown in Fig. 18. By this arrangement the toabcco rod in semi-compressed condition is centered on the wrapper to under the belt 57c and the above mentioned difficulties avoided.

It will be noted that a gap is left'between the end of the bridge 34b and the wrapper web w to permit the entrance of the ribbon sections 23e. If, however, the ribbon sections 23e are of a width approximating the inside circumference of the cigarette wrapper, they may desirably approX.

imate 4; inch in thicknesshence the above mentioned gap may be slightly greater than A; inch in length (i. e., axially of the tobacco rod), and accordingly, since the tobacco is being carried along by the belt 5k no difficulty is experienced in crossing such a gap. In fact, this gap is an advantage when used to cooperate with suction head 30d. It is obvious that no air can pass upward through the gap while it is covered by the solid portions of the belt 520 as in the construction shown in Fig. 18, While the gap is obstructed by the ribbon section 23e. Accordingly, during these periods substantially no air at all is admitted through the gap. However, by constructing the exit end of the bridge 34b as shown in Figs. 20 and 21, strong air currents may be admitted through channels 340 and under the tobacco rod at the time the windows of the belt 570 are passing above it. This materially assists in carrying out the sections of tobacco rod t to be replaced by the sections of ribbon 23e and particularly in removing the occasional long strands previously referred to.

It is to be understood that the length of the windows 3k in belt 57c, the length of the ribbon sections 23e, and the strength of the air currents used, are co-functioning factors, the interrelation of which must be developed in each specific design embodying the general principles set forth.

In general, all of the foregoing is only intended to set forth general principles which may be modified in an almost endless variety of ways.

In the various figures I have attempted to show diagrammatically the apparatus and articles handled thereby and, in order to clarify the disclosure, spaces have been left between individual elements. This has been done to aid the description as I do not intend to be limited to the exact spacing illustrated, which in some instances has been greatly magnified.

It will be readily understood that the mechanism to the left of line x-.r, Fig. 2, which consists of the elements necessary to cut off the sections of mouthpiece ribbon and attach them to the wrapper web, can be removed from the cigarette machine and the assembly consisting of the wrapper web with the sections of mouthpiece ribbon attached fabricated at some point remote from such machine, the assembly wound on a spool, as shown inFig. 3, and then taken to the cigarette machine in much the same way that spools of plain wrapper are now handled. This method obviates the necessity of operating the mechanism to the left of line :cx in Fig. 2 in step with the cigarette machine. In carrying out this method two difficulties present themselves,

7 the first resides in the fact that any slight slippage which may occur between the paper pull belt and the ribbon wrapper assembly is accumulative with respect to the spacing of the ribbon sections. Fortunately, however, slippage can ordinarily be made reasonably constant for any group of machines of thesame type. Accordingly, a compensating correction can be applied to the spacing of the ribbon sections on the wrapper. In this alternative method it is believed the plan of bringing the mouthpiece ribbon wrapper assembly into position with the tobacco sections shown in Fig. 18 is best suited, because in this way this assembly is pulled the shortest possible distance and thus the strain tending to produce slippage on the paper pull belt is at a minimum. It is to be noted that the tobacco sections in a considerably compressed state are being carried along by the solid portions of the windowed belt, (it being understood that the surface of the windowed belt is provided with means such as serrations 9, shown only in part in Figure 2a, so as to give a substantial coefiicient of friction between the tobacco and the belt) These tobacco sections immediately engage the wrapper web and assist the paper pull beltin carrying it along and thus reduce slippage. Further, the leading ends of the tobacco sections rather firmly engage the trailing ends of the mouthpiece ribbonsections and so add to the positiveness with which the ribbon wrapper assembly is moved forward. The second difficulty above mentioned resides in the fact that when the ribbon wrapper assembly is wound on a spool, such a spool becomes rather large in diameter unless special methods of winding are used. However, it is believed that this alternative reduces the appurtenances necessary to add to the conventional cigarette machine to render it capable of making mouthpiece cigarettes, to the minimum essentials. All that is essentially required in this case, to be added to the conventional machine, is the windowed belt, the two drums to carry it and the vacuum head.

In machines of the general character described, it is highly desirable to use a type of paper pull belt which can be positively synchronized in speed with the various appurtenances such as the windowed belt 5g, compression belt 30a and belt 120,

i. e., one which positively eliminates slippage on its driving pulley. This is shown in connection with belt 36a in Figure 2a where such belt is illustrated as being driven by pulleys I61) and I having teeth thereon. Such a belt is shown in Figs. 10 and 11 wherein 6'! represents a paper pull belt corresponding in general characteristics to those commonly used. This belt may be attached by rivets 61c, vulcanization, cement, stitching or other means to the metal belt 61a. The metal belt 61a carries suitable apertures 61d to cooperate with teeth such as shown on the driving pulleys 16b and I60. A cross section of a specially formed closing and sealing device 611) is illustrated in Fig. 10, such device being provided to cooperate with such a belt.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such, be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In apparatus of the character described, means for attaching sections of fiat mouthpiece material upon a web of wrapper paper in spaced relation, means for depositing tobacco upon said web and said sections, means for removing the major portion of such tobacco deposited upon saidgmouthpieee sections and-means for severing strands ofytobacco overlying, said mouthpiece t -u a. "1

2,. In a pparatus I of H the, character described, means for attaching sections of flat mouthpiece material upon a'web' of wrapper paper in spaced relation, means for depositing. tobacco upon said 4 means for depositing tobacco upon said sections and web, a belt overlying said sections and deposited tobacco, windows in said belt and suction means communicating with said windows.

4. In apparatus of the character described, means for moving a web of wrapper paper having sections of mouthpiece material united thereto, means for depositing tobacco upon said sections and web, means including a belt overlying said sections and deposited tobacco, windows in said belt and suction means communicating with said windows, a rotary knife overlying said belt adapted to cut strands of tobacco drawn through said windows by said suction means.

5. In apparatus of the character described, a travelling belt, windows in said belt and a friction promoting means upon one surface of said belt, said windows being defined by transverse and longitudinal edges, said transverse edges being serrated.

6. An article of the character described comprising a belt, windows in said belt, said windows being defined by transverse and longitudinal edges, said transverse edges being serrated and bent out of the general plane of said belt.

'7. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a belt and a rotary knife, said belt having windows therein, means for moving said belt and means for moving said knife across said windows in a direction opposed to the movement of said belt.

8. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a belt and a knife, said belt having windows therein with transverse edges, said knife having a cutting edge, means for moving said belt and means for moving said cutting edge so that it traverses said transverse edges, said knife being rotatable in a plane closely adjacent and parallel to the plane of said belt.

9. An article of the character described, a compression belt comprising a substantially flat tapelike member and a resilient member having recesses therein, said resilient member being secured to said tape-like member and having curved surfaces on the portions thereof lying between said recesses.

10. An article of the character described, comprising a flexible belt and a metal belt, said flexible belt being secured to said metal belt, and said metal belt having longitudinal rows of apertures therein, said flexible belt having spaced recesses therein.

11. In a method of manufacturing mouthpiece cigarettes the steps which comprise securing sections of mouthpiece material to a web of wrapper paper in spaced relation, then depositing tobacco upon said web and sections, then removing the major portion of such tobacco deposited upo said sections and then cutting strands of tobacco overlying saidsections.

12. A' method of manufacturing mouthpiece cigarettes, which comprises feeding a web of preformed wrapper paper having: mouthpiece sections attached thereto, beneath; a downwardly falling shower of tobacco, applying suction; to such 'tobacco lying upon the, mouthpiecevseetions to remove same, exerting pressure; on such tobacco between the sectionsto hold the same in place, then sealing said wrapper and cutting the resulting rod to form mouthpiece cigarettes.

13. The method of removing portions of strands of tobacco extending from a body of tobacco and lying adjacent a section of mouthpiece material, which comprises the steps of exerting pressure downwardly on said tobacco to hold the same in place then drawing said strands upwardly by suction, then cutting said strands.

14. Means for removing portions of tobacco strands extending from a tobacco body and 1ying adjacent a section of mouthpiece material such ' comprising a suction boX, a windowed belt overlying said tobacco and mouthpiece sections, said box having a partition to form separate suction chambers and a knife adapted to' sever said strands, said knife being rotatably mounted above said tobacco and below one of such suction cham- *bers.

15. Apparatus of the character described com prising a belt, a stationary plate adjacent the end of the upper run of said belt, a windowed belt located above said plate, a wrapper web support having a portion extending in substantially the same plane as that of said plate and having another portion extending angularly from said first named portion and means for moving a web of wrapper paper along said web support.

16. Apparatus of the character described comprising a belt, a stationary plate adjacent the end of the upper run of said belt, a windowed belt ,located above said plate, a wrapper web support having a portion extending in substantially the same plane as that of said plate and having another portion extending angularly from said first named portion and means for moving a web of wrapper paper along said web support, said plate having a central groove therein and air channels communicating with said groove.

17. The method of removing portions of strands of tobacco extending from a body of tobacco and lying on a section of mouthpiece material which comprises the steps of compressing said tobacco body downwardly while forcing said I strands upwardly, and then severing said strands. 18. In a method of manufacturing mouthpiece icigarettes, the steps comprising feeding a web of preformed wrapper paper having mouthpiece sections attached thereto beneath a downwardly falling shower of tobacco, exerting pressure on tobacco in juxtaposition to a section while simultaneously removing tobacco on the surface of the section by suction.

GLENN DAVIDSON.

REFERENGES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 587,827 Hudson Aug. 10, 1897 314,639 Abadie Mar. 31, 1885 (Other references on following page) Number Name Date 7 Number Name Date 2,178,820 Todoroff Nov. 7, 1939 2,218,588 Ruppel Oct. 22, 1940 2,160,201 Edwards May 30, 1939 2 ,066,460 Edwards Jan. 5, 1937 2,172,804 Molins Sept. 12, 1939 1,967,154 Molins July 17, 1934 1,712,017 Aoyama May 7, 1929v 5 v 711,986 Ludington Oct. 28, 1902 2,133,341 Bronander Oct. 18, 1938 2,197,072 Craggs Apr." 16, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,236.579 Rundell Apr. 1, 1941 Number Country Date 2,093 051 May Sept, 14, 1937 389,499 Great Britain Mar. 17, 1933 945,651 Louden Jan, 4, 1910 10 428,549 Great Britain May 15, 1935 

